Richmond’s own RVA Beard League sent a delegation of eight to Austin, Texas to represent their hometown, the Commonwealth, and the United States, against 738 competitors from 33 countries, and all seven continents at the 2017 World Beard & Moustache Championships. In the Guinness World Book Record-setting three-day event held over the Labor Day weekend, the League represented Richmond in six different facial hair categories from the 27 categories available.

Two RVA Beard League members beat the odds and made it to the podium. Amy Roberts from Glen Allen beat Australian Donna Coles to place first in the world in the Creative Moustache category, where anyone — gals, kids, and less fortunate guys — can create a fake moustache of any material, limited only by their imagination. Patrick Quinn from Powhatan, current National title holder in Sideburns Natural, took home the silver in Sideburns Natural against the U.K.’s Michael Wallage.

Chad Roberts7th Place in the World in Full Beard FreestylePhoto by Greg Anderson Photography

Jimmy Thomson9th Place in the World in Full Beard FreestylePhoto by Joe Friendly Photography/AFHC

Katie Quinn12th Place in the Worldin Realistic Beard;Current National Artistic Realistic ChampionPhoto by Joe Friendly Photography/AFHC

“It was an amazing opportunity to go, compete, and represent RVA,” VP Josh Black says. “Competing in a second World Championship is a bucket list opportunity that is equally exciting and humbling.”

Since October 2012, the RVA Beard League has been a proud member of the host organization, the World Beard and Moustache Association (WBMA), and was one of the few North American clubs admitted early on. Richmond was previously represented at the World Beard and Moustache Championships (WBMC) in Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Germany in 2013 and Leogang, Austria in 2015.

The World Beard and Moustache Championship occurs every odd-numbered year and has been a tradition for twenty-seven years. In acknowledgement of the growth in participation by Americans, the Championship was held this year in Austin, Texas and will next be held in Antwerp, Belgium in 2019. But even better, the RVA Beard League will be hosting the national2018 Great American Beard & Moustache Championship here in Richmond next September!

“We're often people's first exposure to Richmonders, and when we travel we see ourselves as city ambassadors,” President Chad Roberts says. “Our participation in the World Championships is a way to help redefine RVA to others and show them that Richmond is a great city, filled with amazing people.”

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The RVA Beard League in Richmond, Virginia is a social volunteer organization that represents Richmond and works to improve our hometown through the 3 C’s of community service, charitable fundraising, and camaraderie. Since our founding in 2011, we have raised nearly $67,000 for Richmond-area non-profits, and are active members of the World Beard & Moustache Association (WBMA) and the North American Competitive Beard and Moustache Alliance (NACBMA). We are proudly sponsored by The Answer Brewpub & Mekong, named CraftBeer.com’s Great American Beer Bar for the last several years.